Igniter for explosive-engines.



No. 699,0l4. vPatnted A'p'r. 29,190.2.

- J V RICE, IR y l IGNITEB FUR EXPLSIVE ENGINES. (Appucaipn med Aug. ao, 1897. nenewd Novi 1900.;

(No Mndgl.)

wihwsoco i UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

JOHN v. RIOE, JR., or EDGEWATER PARK, NEW JERSEY, ASsIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To WILLIAM O. WORTH, or OHIOAeO,ILLINOIs, WILLIAM R. DONALDSON, OE LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, AND HENRY W. KELLOGG, OE BArrLEOREEK, MICHIGAN,

`ler-:ITER FOR ExPLOslvE-ENGlNEs.

SHECFlCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,014, dated April 29, 1902.

Application led August 30, 1897. Renewed November 3, 1900. Serial No. 35,391. (No model.)

T0 LLL whom t may concern:

Be fit known that I, JOHN V. RICE, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Edgewater Park, in the county of Burlington and State ot' New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willA enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make andv use the same.

LMyinvention relates to gas-engines; and its object is to provide an improved construction of the same which shall vpossess superior advantages with respect to efficiency in use.v

The invention consists in the novellcon- 1 designates vthe exhaust-valve of a gas-engine, 2 the casing thereof, and 3 the stem.

The numeral 4 designates a rotatable governor-rod so connected with some moving part of the engine as to work-in unison therewith. This rod is provided with a lixed collar 5, to which are pivoted links or arms 6, also pivoted to the governor-balls 7. Said balls are also provided with pivoted links or arms 8, the

other ends of which are pivotedto the collar 9, movable on s aid'rod. rlhe numeral 10 designates a fixed collar onl said rod, between which and the movable collar 9 is interposed a coiledspring 12. Said rod 4 from a point a short distance from the collar 10 to the upper end is made hollow, forming a tubular portion 13,.inwhich is located a movable rod, for a purpose hereinafter described. Located above the collar 9 and resting therein is a movable sleeve 14, provided with a cam 1 5 and a circular disk 16, with which is. adapted to engage a wheel or roller 17, journaled to a lug 1S of a movable block 19, working in a recessI ina bracket 20, through the upper end of which the rody 4 passes. This blockat the opposite end is, formed with a recess in which is seated one end of a coiled spring 21 embracing the valve-stem 3, and the other end bearing against the casing 2. Between the said bracket and the disk 16 is a coiled spring 2' Y Located in the tubularportion of the rod4 is aA rod 24, connected by a pin 25 With the movable collar 9. The upper end of this rod is provided with a pin 26, passing through a slot 27 in the rod 4 and engaging with aspiral, slot 2S in a sleeve 29, rotatable on said rod 4, the construction being such that as said rod 24 is elevated the sleeve 29 will be partially rotated. Secured to the sleeve is a cam 30, which engages with a head 31 of a movable rod-32, which extends into the engine-cylinder and forms one electrode of a sparkingv mechanism. The other electrodel34 is stationary. These electrodes are connected with an electric batteryv 35. The immoral 36 designates a coiled spring for throwing the rod 32 outward and breaking the electric circuit when the cam-point 30 passes beyond the Yheat-1 31'.

'During the operation-of the engine the piston on the first outstroke draws a mixture of gas and air into the cylinder. On the return stroke the charge is compressed and just as the crank is passing the back center it is tired, forcing the piston forward. As the piston nears the limit of this Second outstroke the disk cam, Fig. 1, opens the exhaust-valve, clearing the cylinder ofthe spentproduct,and holds it open during the return stroke. These operations are repeated as long as the speed remains at or below the normal; but should the speed go above normal the governor- Weights ily out and draw the collar 9, attached to governor-links, away from the sleeve carrying the cam 15. The spring 23 will now press against the disk 16, tending to force the disk and cam against the collar i), butis prevented from moving owing to the disk riding on the side of roller 17 until the cycle is completed and roller 17 is on the high point of the cam, at which time the disk is permitted to slip toward collar 9, and the roller 17 will then be riding on the disk, holding open the exhaust-valve, which will necessarily prevent compression or suction. The exhaustvalve remains open until the speed falls slightly below normal and the weights approach the axis of rotation, when the collar 9 will be pressed against the sleeve 14, compelling the cam 15 to ride back upon the roller 17.

It will be observed that no matter whatposition the piston may be in as soon as the speed decreases the exhaust-valve will close, and a proportionate amount of gas and air will be drawn in.

I have found that by igniting considerably before the piston reaches the top center on compression that greater speed and power are obtained, and for slower speeds the igniter should be correspondingly later.

The disadvantage of having a positive point of ignition is that at a high speed the power decreases, whereas if it would spark proportion ately earlier as the speed increases again in the power of the engine is effected. If it sparks too early, there would be a tendency to reverse direction, and therefore a consequent loss of power. I have therefore provided means whereby the spark is produced before the piston reaches the end ot' its stroke, the time of sparking being proportioned to the speed of the engine. As the governor rod I increases in speed the rod 24E will be lowered, and through the medium of the pin 2S and spiral slot in the sleeve 29 the latter will be rotated or turned, shifting the cam 30, so that it will operate the movable electrode to make the spark at a point before the piston reaches the end of its stroke proportionate to the speed of the engine.

' Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a governor for gas-engines, the combination with a tubular governor-rod, of a rod within the same, centrifugally-acting means connected with the inner rod, a sparking device, and a cam that actuates the sparker and is engaged by the aforesaid inner rod for the purpose of shifting said cam, substantially as described.

2. In a governor for gas-engines, the combination with a tubular rod, of a rod within the same, centrifugally-acting means carried by the tubular rod and connected with the inner rod, a sparkingdevice, a rotary actuatwith said collar, the pin at the opposite end of said rod passing through a slot in said rod, the rotatable sleeve having a spiral slot with which said last-mentioned pin engages, the cam on said sleeve, and the spring-actuated electrode, substantially as described.

et. In an engine-governor, the combination with a tubular governor-rod, of a rod Within the same, governor means connected with the inner rod, a sparking device, and a cam engaged by the aforesaid inner rod, all arranged to operate so that the spark will be produced at the proper point in the length of the stroke of the piston, substantially as described.

5. In a governor for gas-engines, the combination with the tubular governor-rod, of the centrifugally-actingr governor devices, the movable collar, the rod within the tubular rod, said inner rod .having a pin engaging the movable collar, the sparking devices, a rotary cam for operating the sparker, said cam being on a slotted sleeve engaged' by another pin on the inner rod, all substantially as described. 1

6. In an engine of the class described, a cylinder, a valve for controlling the supply of fuel for said cylinder, an ignitcr for said charge of fuel, a speed responsive device driven by said engine, an internal and external shaft, the internal shaft connected to the governor and adapted to be reciprocated thereby, a device on the external shaft for operating the igniter, and a dog or the like, connected to the internal shaft and extending through the hollow shaft, whereby the said device, or a part thereof may be rotated, when the said internal shaft is reciprocated, substantially as set forth.

7. An internal-combustion motor having a hollow cam-shaft, a sparkeractuating cam loosely mounted thereon, a cam-controllingr rod within the hollow shaft, centrifugal weights adapted to actuate the rod as the shaft revolves and means for connecting the rod and sparker-cam.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses. A

JOHN V. RICE, JR.

Witnesses:

EDMUND WRIGHT, Jr., JOHN H. FRANCK.

IOC

IIO 

